Your family will start to beg you to meatloaf as soon as they taste these Mini Hoisin Turkey and Zucchini Meatloaf Muffins. Make ahead for a quick and easy dinner.
Raise your hand if you cringe when you hear the word "meatloaf". I get it because I used to feel the same way. The word painted pictures of 1950s-esque bricks of dried meat, served alongside lumpy mashed potatoes and limp broccoli. **Cringe**
Let's wipe those images out of our heads and give meatloaf new life by lightening it up with ground turkey and some grated zucchini, and giving it a punch of flavor with hoisin sauce and Chinese 5-spice powder. Now we're talking!
If you're not familiar with hoisin sauce, the best way I can describe it is a Chinese barbecue sauce. It's rich, savory and full of sweet and salt flavors. It can be found in the international aisle of most grocery stores, but can also be bought online, along with Chinese 5-spice powder. Gluten-free versions are also available. To make this recipe completely gluten-free, be sure to buy gluten-free oats.
Don't worry that hoisin sauce won't go to waste. You can use the extra for my favorite Slow Cooker Hoisin Chicken recipe, which we make at least every couple of weeks.
You could easily turn this into a full meatloaf and slice it just before serving, but I like using muffin tins to make mini versions, both for the cute factor and for the quick cooking time. Prepare the mixture and scoop it into the muffin tin in the morning or even the night before, and pop them into the oven just before dinnertime. Twenty-five minutes later, they'll be ready to serve.
Now, there's one unsavory thing to deal with when we're talking mini meatloaves. When you bake these little guys, some liquid will be released from the ground turkey and will pool on top of the meatloaves. Using a small spoon or a paper towel, just scoop or dab that liquid away. Voilà...problem solved.
Whip up some brown rice and a green salad or steamed veggies, and you have a healthy meal that your family will love. They may actually start to beg for meatloaf!
Other healthy ground turkey recipes:
Turkey Cannelloni with Roasted Peppers & Spinach
Turkey Taco Twice-Baked Potatoes
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Mini Hoisin Turkey & Zucchini Meatloaf Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds ground turkey
- 1 ½ cups grated zucchini liquid squeezed out
- ⅓ cup + 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce divided
- ¾ cup old-fashioned oats
- ¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
- ¾ teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a muffin tin with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together the ground turkey, zucchini, ⅓ cup hoisin sauce, oats, parsley, 5-spice powder, salt, pepper and egg.
- Use slightly less than ½ cup of the mixture for each meatloaf, placing each portion into one of muffin tin slots.
- Brush the tops of the meatloaves with the remaining 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce.
- Place the muffin tin on a baking sheet (to catch any drips). Bake until the meatloaves are cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes, then remove with a small metal spatula. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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LindaD
Quick and delicious. Added a couple of chopped scallions otherwise followed the recipe exactly. A definite add to our rotation
Maya
I just made this tonight Feb 2024 - it was SO EASY to make. Delicious alternative to the regular ketchup. The hoisin sauce is a nice touch! Thanks for the recommendation... although I couldn't find Chinese 5 Spice for the life of me (went to 3 large chain grocery stores) - it still tasted good. I just doubled the parsley because I love greens, and had it with wild rice, and some baked sweet potatoes. What a wholesome and filling meal!
Brixie
Just made these and they are fantastic! Thank you!
Dara
Great to hear! Thank you for commenting.